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Biomedical engineers design and test life-saving devices that help change the face of medicine. While the work of biomedical engineers is closely related to the field of medicine, it is rare for a biomedical engineer to prepare for his career by attending medical school. Some do attend medical school, but they are by no means in the majority.

Why Not Medical School?

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, a bachelor's degree is required for entry-level biomedical engineering jobs. This entails four years of schooling. Medical school, on the other hand, requires four years of undergraduate schooling followed by four years of grueling graduate study and is intended for those pursuing a career as a physician. According to the Association of American Medical Colleges, the median cost of attending medical school ranged from $187,000 to $264,000 as of 2011. That is a lot of money and time to spend on schooling that is not even a prerequisite of one's chosen career.

What Do Biomedical Engineers Study?

Biomedical engineers usually study either biomedical engineering or another field of engineering. According to ONet Online, 45 percent of biomedical engineers held a bachelor's degree in 2010, and 35 percent held a master's degree. However, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that some biomedical engineers who wish to lead research in direct medical care applications do attend medical school. According to ONet, 20 percent of biomedical engineers hold a PhD or professional degree.

2016 Salary Information for Biomedical Engineers

Biomedical engineers earned a median annual salary of $85,620 in 2016, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. On the low end, biomedical engineers earned a 25th percentile salary of $65,700, meaning 75 percent earned more than this amount. The 75th percentile salary is $107,850, meaning 25 percent earn more. In 2016, 21,300 people were employed in the U.S. as biomedical engineers.